Again, just a brief note to say that all my readers are awesome. I love you guys!

And I still don't own anything. Look, if that changes, you'll be the first to know, I swear!

Recap:

She almost laughed at the expressions chasing each other across Christine's face before the girl whispered "Oh my goodness, I know… you think… I'm pregnant."

Christine immediately realized that she must be. What else could explain how she felt? It was more than just recovering from flu. She should have been feeling better as Erik was now. But they had not yet discussed children. What would he say?

Just then, Erik walked into the room. Both women could tell that the fresh air had done him a world of good. He looked much refreshed, but his expression changed when he sensed the tension in the room. "Is everything alright, Christine? How are you feeling now?" He asked, concern pouring from his voice. Christine hurriedly said "Oh, I'm feeling better than I was earlier. This dreadful flu is just trying to hang on!" Mama Giry briefly looked confused, then excused herself.

Christine's expression changed, and she whispered, hoping to distract him, "Erik, I'm feeling rather tired. Would you maybe come and sing to me, help me to rest?" Erik smiled and replied "Of course, anything to help you get well." He started to softly sing to her, and as she drifted off to sleep; her last thoughts were of trying to figure out how to tell him he might be a father.

As the next few days passed, Erik's concern and fear grew. Christine and Antoinette would stop talking as soon as he entered the room; Christine was not getting well quickly, but kept reassuring him that she would go to a doctor soon, not allowing him to send for one. He walked into the room one day to find her staring out of the window, tears flowing freely. When he rushed to her side, she pushed him away, insisting she was fine, begging him to leave her alone. Every time Erik tried to question Antoinette, she would state firmly that he should talk to Christine. He even tried threatening the woman, reverting back to his "Opera Ghost" persona; she just laughed at him and told him she was no longer afraid. The next day, Christine and Antoinette left the house, gone for several hours. When Erik questioned them on their return, they gave vague answers, and then Christine went and secluded herself in their room. Even at night, when he would try to embrace her, she would snuggle next to him, true, but never anything more.

At last, after a week of this treatment, he had enough. He found Christine standing by the window in the music room. His heart soared to see her out of bed at last, but the feeling was quickly drowned out by his fears. He rushed to her turned her toward him and begged "Christine, please, do not torture me any longer. If you do not want to be here, if you are unhappy, please tell me. Just don't make me suffer any longer. You know I will do anything for you." The tears he had held back for a week finally burst forth as he said this, and he fell to his knees in front of her.

Christine immediately felt ashamed. She had her confirmation two days before that she most definitely was pregnant, but she was so nervous about telling Erik that she had given him the wrong idea. She knelt so as to look him in the eye. "Erik, nothing could change my love for you! I promise you, I still love you! I could never be unhappy with you!" she spoke as she kissed him several times to support her words. He looked at her, very confused. "Then please, tell me what is going on? Why do you cry so often? Where did Antoinette take you? Why have you not been yourself?" he asked, the frantic words rushing out. She smiled and said "She took me to the doctor. I haven't been still sick with the flu, my love. I'm pregnant with our first child."

Erik was stunned. The shock made him fall backwards to the floor. He sat there speechless. Then emotions welled up in him so strongly that he stood up quickly. Christine's smile grew, and she reached out to embrace him. But her face fell when he instead rushed out the door. She looked out of the window to see him mount upon his horse and ride off as if the devil were after him.

Mama Giry came in a few moments later to find her sitting on the floor crying desperately. When she sobbed out what had happened, Mama held her for a few moments, and then said "Dear, this is a bit o a shock for him. You must give him time. He evidently has been under a lot of strain, being afraid you didn't love him. Now the news that he is to be a father, well, you have had several days to be used to the idea. Be patient."

Soon, Nadir heard pounding upon his door. "DAROGA! OPEN AT ONCE!" Darius opened the door, and Erik came rushing in. Nadir suddenly felt as if he had been pushed back in time. This was the former Erik, angry and harsh. He paced madly around the room for several minutes, muttering unintelligibly. Nadir finally had enough. "What has gotten into you Erik?" he asked gruffly, hoping to snap him out of it. Erik's eyes flashed as he looked up, as if he had almost forgotten where he was and who he was with. Then he abruptly sat down and spilled out everything that had happened since he had recovered from his illness. Then he told Nadir the news that Christine was with child. Nadir's eyes widened, and he said "Well boy this is wonderful news! We must celebrate!" Erik's eyes changed and he yelled "NO DAROGA! Don't you understand? If this is real, if Christine is pregnant with my child, don't you know what this means?" Nadir moved toward him and put his hand on Erik's shoulder as he broke down in tears.

Erik finally looked up and said "What have I done? What if our child looks like the monster who fathered him?"

And there's some angst mixed into our phluph! Poor Erik! His brain get him in trouble sometimes, doesn't it?

Reviews mean love, lemon bars, and songs from Gerry!